By Jeffrey Levy
Photos by author
In the ever-evolving world of firefighting, the ability to adapt and employ unconventional methods can make all the difference in safely and effectively mitigating fire incidents. The morning of August 21, 2024, brought a unique challenge to Lauderhill (FL) Fire Rescue when firefighters were dispatched to a commercial fire at the SWAP Shop. What followed was a textbook example of how thinking outside the box and using an unconventional tool can become a valuable addition to the firefighting toolbox.
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- Leveraging Fire Streams and Ventilation
- How Does a Fully Sprinklered Warehouse Burn to the Ground?
The Incident at the SWAP Shop
At 7:08 a.m., Lauderhill Fire Rescue units were dispatched to the SWAP Shop, an 88-acre flea market with a 180,000-square-foot air-conditioned building for a commercial fire alarm activation. The source of the alarm, as reported by the alarm company, was a waterflow sprinkler alarm. Within a minute of receiving the alarm, a 911 call confirmed a fire at the same location. Recognizing the unique nature of the SWAP Shop—which is a mix of shopping vendors, a food court, and the Fort Lauderdale Ferrari Museum, home to one of the most valuable cars in the world—Lauderhill Fire Rescue had previously modified their alarm assignment protocols for this location.
The SWAP Shop is not just a massive flea market; it’s a sprawling and iconic landmark in the area. The vast indoor space, coupled with its diverse offerings and significant assets like the Ferrari Museum, posed a complex risk scenario. Understanding the unique challenges presented by such a structure, Lauderhill Fire Rescue had long implemented specialized response protocols. These protocols include dispatching all fire alarm notifications as if it were an actual first-alarm fire response, given the potential for rapid escalation in a space of this size and complexity.
Upon arrival, Quint 110, the first responding unit, encountered smoke emanating from the second floor of the large multi-story building. The company stretched 200 feet of 3-inch hose to reach the building along with 150 feet of 1 3/4-inch hose to reach and operate on the second floor. Firefighters encountered thick, grey, misty smoke, a common condition associated with an activated sprinkler system that controlled but did not fully extinguish the fire. In this case, the sprinklers had confined the fire to a single vendor booth. The fire crews quickly extinguished the remaining fire, but they were left with a significant challenge: ventilating the massive, smoke-filled structure.
The Ventilation Dilemma
Sprinkler systems save lives businesses and jobs, but they make it difficult to vent the smoke that has been driven to the floor by their downdraft, cooled, and lost its buoyancy. Venting a sprinklered building is difficult at any building, but the SWAP Shop presented a significant challenge. Constructed in 1979, the building lacked modern smoke evacuation systems.
Despite deploying all the electric and battery-operated fans carried by the on-scene apparatus as well as additional fans provided by the Lauderhill Fire Logistics Division, the smoke stubbornly persisted. The sheer size of the building coupled with its large open interior space rendered conventional ventilation methods ineffective.
With the traditional tools proving insufficient, the incident commanders were faced with a critical decision. They needed to think creatively to resolve the issue. In firefighting, as in many fields, the ability to adapt to the situation at hand is crucial. They needed a solution that could generate a much larger volume of airflow than the tools at their disposal. This is where an unconventional firefighting technique came into play.
An Unconventional Solution: The Airboat
In a move that might seem surprising at first, Lauderhill Fire Rescue requested the assistance of an airboat—a tool typically associated with navigating Florida’s swamps and marshes, not urban fire scenes. Airboats are powered by airplane engines or large, big-block motors from motor vehicles. The engines turn a large propeller that can produce significant thrust and airflow, making it an unexpected but effective tool for ventilating a large, enclosed space.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) responded promptly, arriving within 30 minutes with their airboat in tow. The on-scene fire officers and the FWC collaborated to devise a tactical plan. After careful consideration, they positioned the airboat at a bank of storefront entry doors and used its powerful air flow to ventilate the building. This collaboration between agencies highlights the importance of interagency cooperation in emergency situations. The fire officers and FWC team worked together seamlessly, adapting the airboat’s typical use to meet the needs of this urban environment.
With all exterior doors propped open and the airboat in operation, crews inside the building monitored smoke conditions and relayed information back to command. The airboat operator adjusted the fan speed accordingly, and within 20 minutes, the entire structure was clear of smoke. The success of this operation underscores the value of unconventional thinking in firefighting. By stepping outside the traditional methods and embracing an innovative solution, the team was able to overcome a significant challenge quickly and effectively.
Lessons Learned/Reinforced
An airboat is a powerful machine. It produces such great thrust that it can propel itself on dry land (which would, however, be damaging to its flat bottom). With this much power, make sure that it is securely strapped to its trailer, chock the wheels of its trailer, and leave it hitched to the vehicle that pulled it to the scene. The successful use of an airboat for smoke ventilation at the SWAP Shop underscores the importance of flexibility and innovation in firefighting. This unconventional method not only proved effective but also expanded the range of tools available to the Lauderhill Fire Rescue for future incidents. Fire departments often focus on acquiring the latest technology and equipment, but this incident demonstrates that, sometimes, the best solutions are those that already exist, just applied in new ways.
As a result of this experience, Lauderhill Fire Rescue is now incorporating the use of airboats into their response plans for similar large structure fires. The key takeaway from this incident is the value of thinking outside the box. Unconventional techniques, when applied thoughtfully and strategically, can become powerful assets in the firefighter’s toolkit. In this case, the use of an airboat—a piece of equipment typically associated with a completely different environment—proved to be a game-changer.
In the fast-paced and unpredictable world of firefighting, adaptability is crucial. As this incident demonstrated, sometimes the best solutions are the ones that require us to rethink what we know and explore new possibilities. The success at the SWAP Shop fire has opened the door for further exploration of unconventional tools and methods in firefighting, reminding all of us that in the face of new challenges, innovation is not just an option—it’s a necessity.
By embracing unconventional methods and remaining open to new ideas, fire departments can continue to enhance their capabilities and improve their effectiveness in saving lives and property.
Jeffrey Levy is a 26-year veteran of the fire service. He is a firefighter/paramedic and holds the rank of deputy fire chief for the Lauderhill Fire Rescue Department, located in Lauderhill, Florida. He is a State of Florida Fire Instructor and has an associate degree in fire science and associate degree in emergency medical services, both from Broward College. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in health sciences from Nova Southeastern University.
